Shropshire Star

Shrewsbury Flower Show vendors try to remain positive after bomb hoax leaves some 'tired and traumatised'

Tired vendors have spoken of their experiences after the hoax bomb threat that derailed the first day of Shrewsbury Flower Show.

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The queue for the flower show on Saturday morning

Visitors queued up around the block on Saturday morning for the second day of the flower show and were welcomed by a host of tired security staff and volunteers after a very long night.

The police and MOD had been working through the night to secure The Quarry after a bomb threat saw Friday's festivities come to an abrupt end.

West Mercia Police have now confirmed that the anonymous call that sparked the evacuation of the town centre park in the middle of the show was a hoax.

The crowds at the Shrewsbury Flower Show on Friday were evacuated at around 6.40pm after an anonymous phone call to the police reported 'suspicious packages' at the venue.

An evacuation of Shrewsbury Flower Show was ordered at around 6.40pm on Friday

Initially, the organisers hoped that The Quarry would be cleared in time for the eagerly anticipated fireworks display, but within an hour the event had been called off and the show shut down.

Vendors, stallholders and entertainers were unable to return to their belongings until the police gave the all-clear at the park at around 6am on Saturday, leaving some with spoiled food and others with no place to sleep.

The queue for the flower show on Saturday morning